Grinding unit for disposal devices



Aug. 23, 1955 H. W. M PHERSON GRINDING UNIT FOR DISPOSAL DEVICES Original Filed Oct. 30, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l INV EN TOR Aug. 23, 1955 H. w. M PHERSON GRINDING UNIT FOR DISPOSAL DEVICES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 30. 1946 HWIIIEEE HAW,

Aug. 23, 1955 H. w. MGPHERSON 2,715,735

GRINDING UNIT FOR DISPOSAL DEVICES Original Filed Oct. 30, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 "H U ml" Vi'-JJLIMMIIIIII '.v /////I////////////// IIIIIIIIIIW'" Aug. 23, 1955 H. w. M PHERSON 2,715,735

GRINDING UNIT FOR DISPOSAL DEVICES Original Filed 001;. 50, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIEIJEI- F I ELlU- F 5-14:. /L/l FIELIE- INVENTOR United States Patent Ofl ice 2,715,735 Patented Aug. 23, 1955 GRINDING UNIT FOR DISPOSAL DEVICES Hal Weir McPherson, Chicago, Ill.

Original application October 39, 1946, Serial No. 7 06,736. Divided and this application June 29, 1951, Serial No. 234,363

11 Claims. (Cl. 410) This invention relates to disposal devices for sewage and garbage, and has for its principal object to make water operate a grinder, wash out the device, and also carry away the refuse.

More specifically it is an object of .this invention to provide a disposal device that has improved comminuting surfaces, which automatically moves the material to be comminuted radially outwardly, and at the same time grinds such material to small size, shreds or tears it to bits, and severs fibrous or stringy portions of the material into small segments as the material is discharged from the unit.

The present application is a division and continuationin-part of my earlier application Serial No. 706,730, filed October 30, 1946, now abandoned and the disclosure of that application is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent that it is not inconsistent with the present disclosure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the disclosure proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of disposal device, parts being removed to show the interior;

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking at the top of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the base receptacle or casing, a fragment being broken away to show the water con nection;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section through fragments of the grinder;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view with parts broken away to show the path of the water for driving the hydraulic motor and flushing out the device;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the base receptacle looking from the opposite side of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the upper grinding element;

Fig. '10 is a perspective view showing the lower rotatable grinding element;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which the inclined grinding teeth tend to force the material acted upon radially outwardly towardthe discharge opening;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view showing one form of severing teeth;

Fig. 13 is a view corresponding to Fig. 12, but showing another form of severingteeth;

Figs. 14 to 16 inclusive show illustrative profiles for the grinding teeth; and

Fig. 17 shows how'arcuate teeth arranged in staggered relationship and along lines tangential to the smaller diameter of the frusto-conical section may be used.

In Figs. 1 to 8, indicates abase casing, shown as a generally cylindrical receptacle, open at the top and having an outturned bottom flange 11 and an outturned top flange 12. Mounted on and extending partly within the receptacle is a toilet bowl, generally indicated by 13, provided with an annular seat 14 to receive the top flange of the receptacle to which the bowl is secured by cap screws 15.

The bowl has an outturned flange 16 at the top extending to the rear, as indicated by 17 (Figs. 1 and 2), and provided with openings 18 for the hinge bolts of the toilet seat, not shown.

The upper portion 19 of the bowl 13 is frusto-conical at a fairly steep slope, which blends at 20 with a lower frusto-conical portion 21 of less steep slope, which termi nates in a cylindrical portion 22 forming a discharge opening or outlet 23 leading into the receptacle 10.

Beneath the bowl and within the receptacle is a grinder or comminuter, generally indicated by 24, and composed of an upper stationary member 25 and a lower rotating member 26. The upper stationary member is made fast to the cylindrical lower portion 22 of the bowl by cap screws 27, and in effect forms a continuation of the discharge opening 23, with which it is aligned.

The stationary grinder member 25 is of hollow, frustoconical form, increasing in diameter downwardly. It is provided with a seriesof spiral cutting or grinding teeth having edges 23 and outwardly sloping faces 29 in series around the inner surface of the element.

The lower rotary grinder element 26 is frusto-conical at a less steep slope, and is provided with spiral cutting teeth having edges 35) and sloping faces 31 extending outwardly in a series around its grinding surface. It will be noted that the spiral teeth 28 of the stationary grinding member are sloped in the opposite direction from the spiral teeth 30 of the rotatable grinding element.

Each of the grinding or comminuating elements is also provided with a series of sharp, pointed cuttingspikes 32, here shown as three in number in each, and distributed, equiangularly (as shown in Fig. 5) from the inner to the outer portions of the cooperating grinding surfaces so as to pass close to each other in operation, as suggested in Fig. 6. The spikes are here shown as pointed rods pressed into suitable openings in the two members.

The difference in slope of the grinding or comminuting surfaces of the two members forms a tapering path or course for the material to be acted upon, which becomes narrower as the sloping teeth work the material downwardly and outwardly between the surfaces. The opposed, oppositely-sloped spiral teeth of the two grinding members produce a scissor action which effectively breaks down and cuts up the material acted upon.

The stationary and rotary grinding elements combine three specific actions in comrninuting the material passing between them. The grinding teeth 39 on the two elements are inclined in opposite directions 50 that they not only cut and grind the material but move it downwardly and outwardly. The cooperating intercalated spikes 32 in the two elements act as shredders and tend to tear apart the waste material, being particularly effective with paper. The peripheral margins of the two grinding elements have interfitting teeth, as shown for example at 3 1 in Fig. 4, and these peripheral teeth serve to sever material that has passed between the grinding elements and is about to be discharged into the cavity 46.

The rotating grinder element 26 is journaled on antifriction bearings 33 on an upright shaft .or mast 34 .having its lower portion tightly fitted in an opening 35 in the bottom 36 of the receptacle 10 and adjustedfor height by a plug 37 in a threaded enlargement 38 of the hole 35.

The bearings 33 are within a cylindrical portion 39 forming a sort of hub for rotating the grinding element, which extends well below the lower of the anti-friction bearings 33 and is hermetically closed at the top by a disk 40 so that rising water in the casing 10 cannot reach the bearings 33. This bearing mount is the subjectmatter of my application Serial No. 86,510,. filed March 9, 1949, now U. S. Patent No. 2,616,770 granted November 4, 1952, the disclosure of which application is incorporated herein by reference.

{The rotating grinding elevent 'is provided with an annular extension 41, which serves as a fiywheel'and a support for a series 'of vertical rods '42 secured at their upper ends 43 to the'rim 44 of a water wheel or motor equipped with triangular, fiat-faced vanes or elements 45 extending outwardly and upwardly from the rim, and constituting ineffect aPelton wheel. The water motor is arranged within a cavity, generally indicated by 46, between and defined by the cylindrical wall of the casing 16 and the walls 21 and 22 of the bowl spaced from it, together with thestationary element 25 of the grinder, Which, in effect, forms an extension of the bowl discharge.

later for drivingthe water wheel is supplied by a nozzle .47 (Figs. and 7), which deliver'sinto a channel '48] substantially tangential to the water wheeland leading to an upwardly curved channel 49 (Figsj5, 7 and 8),

which in turn leads to an opening 5%) in the bowl 19,

which, in turn, leads to aeurved channel 51 in the bowl.

The'chan'nels 48 and 49 are formed within an enlarge- 7 ment'52 on the side of the cylindrical receptacle 19, just dia'granunatically indicated at 55 in Figs. 1 and 2, ad-

mitting water under suitable pressure to the nozzle 47, from which it rushes into the channel 48, impinges upon I'll lit

the vanes 'of1the water wheel, a portion of it falling down into the receptacle and a portion entering the channel 49 and rushing upwardly through the opening 50 iinto'th'e groove 51 in, the bowl 13,. which it encircles in a spiraling course, passing out the discharge opening 23'into lthe tapering chamber betweenthe grinding ele- "ments, and washing the bowl and the grinder to remove all solid matter,

As it passesfrorn the grinder into the receptacle, the V water is given a whirling jmotion, which it continues in the lower portion of the circle, passing around the slop- 3 V .ing channel 53 and out through the outlet 54.

'Inits course through thedevice it picksup the'solid matter, which is thoroughly disintegrated in the grinder and mixed with oxygen, with the result that there is a l liquid. effluent, which approximates the eflluent leaving a septic tank.v lt'will not clog a sewer or pipe, and can even be disposed of through a garden hose.

'The action in the device creates a strong down draft in the. bowl, which ventilates the'toilet room and removes odors.

It helpful to have the water passing from the discharge of the bowl at 23 into the grinder fall on the 'central portion of therotating element, 'and thus be a given a strong outward direction by centrifugal force, so ;as to pass through the constricted portion of the grinder with a thorough cleaning effect.

As here shown the discharge opening 23 is provided with a frusto-conical flange 56, which may be integral with the bowl or secured'thereto by bolts 27 that make the stationary grinding element fast; serves to prevent upward splashing of efiluent.

The location 'of the outlet 54 is very important. In normaloperation the water used to drive the Pelton wheel falls by gravity to the lower part of the casing 10 but is held against the inner side Walls by centrifugal action. The, effluent discharged by the comminuter is also thrown The flange 56 of thelower frusto-conical grinding surface.

against the side walls of the casing 10, and is swirled in the same direction along the inner side walls as'it falls toward the bottom of the casing. By locating the outlet 54 in the'bottom of the casing with its axis in a vertical plane, slightly spaced from the side Wall of thecasing 1i), gravity acts substantially alone in removing the efiiuent rom the casing, and hence undesirable pressures in the connected sewer line are avoided. V

The details and modifications of the comrninuting ele- Iii-Ellis 25 and 26 are shown in Figs. 9 to 17 inclusive.

As will be seen by referring 'to Figs. 9 and 10, both the upper grinding element and the lower grinding element have grinding surfaces that, are generally frusto-conical I in form with the grinding teeth of thetwo elements in- V clined in opposite directions, and with the. grinding teeth 39 of the lower element 26 being preferably tangential,

more or less, to the smaller diameter, which in this instance. coincides with the bearing closure plate 60 As will be seen by referring to Fig. 11, the relative movement between the upper' and lower grinding elements produces a shearing action that tends to move the material acted upo'nfradially outwardly toward the peripheral discharge opening, and since. the vertical extent of' the space be- 7 tween the grinding elements diminishes toward such periphery the material acted upon is continuously worked outwardly and progressively comminuted to the desired size for passage through the discharge opening.

in order to aid the teeth 29 and 30 in their grinding action it is desirable to provide the intercalated spikes 32, some of which, as heretofore described, are carried 'by the upper grinding element 25 and others by the lower grinding element 26. These intercalated spikes function somewhat on the principle of a cotton gin to shred the material acted upon, 'and they are particularly effective with fibrous material and-with paper. The

spikes may, in some instances, be omitted but are particularly desirable when the device; is used for both sewage and garbage disposal. V V r In the same manner that the teeth 30 of the lower grinding element are preferably tangential'to the smaller diameter circle of the frusto-conicalform of such grinding element, so also are the teeth 29 of the upper grinding element preferably tangential to the smaller diameter circle, or, in this instance, the :inlet opening forthe grinding element.

However, as heretofore .mentioned, there should be relative inclination between the two sets of grinding teeth, and the teeth 30 should be inclined radially rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the element 28, 'as shown in Fig. 10, in order to obtain the desired action in moving the material acted upon radially outwardly during the grinding action. ,For

convenience in terminology, the teeth may be deemed to have a generally spiral form in the sense that they lie on the conical surfaces of the grinding elements and arenon-parallel to the axes thereof. 7

As shown in Fig. 10, the grinding teeth 30 of the lower element 26 terminate in upstanding severing teeth 61,.

which'teeth intersect the projected. extensions of the grinding teeth of the upper element 25. This relationship is best'shown in Fig. 12, and the purpose of 'the' severing teeth isto make certain that thin, flexible ma- 1 terial or articles such'as string do not pass through:the 7 device without being comminuted or cut into small pieces,

and the severingpieces' 61-prevent this from happening- Another form of severing teeth is shown in'Fig. 13, and in this instance not, only are the lower grindmg teeth provided with upstanding severing teeth 61 but in addition the upper grinding teeth 29 are notched-out,

as indicated at 62, to receive the teeth 61, and further severing action is assured by the'terminal severing teeth 63.

The grinding teeth 29 andl3l) may have any desired periphery, some of which are shown in Figs, 14, 15 and 16+ Instead ofusing elongated teeth, such as illustrated "5 in "Figs. 9 and 10, arcuate teeth 64, arranged instaggered relationship and alongflines tangential to the smaller diameter of the frusto-con'ical sections, may be used, as shown in Fig. 17.

'I claim:

1. In a grinding device, an upper relatively'fixed conical grinding element and a lower rotatable conical grinding element, the generatrix of the rotatable conical element being less inclinedto the horizontal than the generatrix of'the relatively fixed conical element, said elements being mounted in coaxial cooperative relationship and providing a grinding space therebetween that diminishes in vertical extent .toward the outer periphery thereof, means for driving the lower element in a given direction, said elements each having a grinding surface provided with closely spaced rows of grinding teeth, and at least one of the elements'havingthe cutting edges of the rows of grinding teeth spirally inclined in a direction with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotatable grinding elementso as to produce a shearing action with the grinding teeth on the other element and to drive the material acted upon outwardly toward said outer periphery.

.2. In a grinding device, an upper relatively fixed conical grinding element and a lower rotatable conicalgrinding element, the generatrix of the rotatable conical element being less inclined to thehorizontal'than the generatrix of the relatively fixed conical element, said elements being ,mounted in coaxial cooperative relationship and providinga grinding space therebetween that diminishes in vertical extent toward the outer periphery thereof, means fordriving the lower element in a given-direction, said elements each having a grinding surface provided with closely spaced rows of spiral grinding teeth, the

spiral teeth on the two elements being oppositely inclined to produce a shearing action therebetween with the teeth of one of the elements inclined in a direction with respect to the direction-of rotation of the rotatable grinding element so as to drive .the material acted upon outwardly toward said outer periphery.

3. In a grinding device, an upper relatively fixed conical grinding element and a lower rotatable conical grinding element, the generatrix of the rotatable conical element being less inclined to the horizontal than the generatrix of the relatively fixed conical element, said elements being mounted in coaxial cooperative relationship and providing a grinding space therebetween that diminishes in vertical extent toward the outer periphery thereof, means for driving the lower element in a given direction, said elements each having a grinding surface provided with grinding teeth, and at least one of the elements having the grinding teeth in the form of ribs spirally inclined in a direction to produce a shearing action with the grinding teeth on the other element and to drive the material acted upon outwardly toward said outer periphery, and severing teeth integral with said ribs and adjacent the outer periphery thereof.

4. In a grinding device, an upper relatively fixed conical grinding element and a lower rotatable conical grinding element, the generatrix of the rotatable conical element being less inclined to the horizontal than the generatrix of the relatively fixed conical element, said elements being mounted in coaxial cooperative relationship and providing a grinding space therebetween that diminishes in vertical extent toward the outer periphery thereof, means for driving the lower element in a given direction, said elements each having a grinding surface provided with grinding teeth, and at least one of the elements having the grinding teeth in the form of ribs spirally inclined in a direction to produce a shearing action with the grinding teeth on the other element and to drive the material acted upon outwardly toward said outer periphery, and severing teeth on one of said elements adjacent said outer periphery, said severing teeth projecting up- 6 Wardly above the cutting edges of said ribs -or their projectedextensions.

5. In a grinding device, an upper relatively fixed grinding element and a lower rotatable grinding element, said elements being mounted in coaxial cooperative relationship and providing a grinding space therebetween that diminishes in vertical extent toward the outer periphery thereof, means for driving the lower element in a given direction, said elements each having a grinding surface provided with grinding teeth, and at least one of the elements having the cutting edges of the grinding teeth inclined in a direction to produce a shearing action with the grinding teeth on the other element and to drive the material acted upon outwardlytoward said outer periphery, and a substantially vertical spike carried by one of said elements and projecting into close proximity to the grinding surfaces on the other element for providing a tearing action.

6. In a grinding device, an upper relatively fixed grinding element and a lower rotatable grinding element, said elements being mounted in coaxial cooperative relationship and providing a grinding space therebetween that diminishes in vertical extent toward the outer periphery thereof, means for driving the lower element in a given direction, said elements each having a grinding surface provided with grinding teeth, and at least one of the elements having the cutting edges of the grinding teeth inclined in a direction to produce a shearing action with the grinding teeth-on the other element and to drive the material acted upon outwardly toward said outer periphery, anda plurality of intercalated substantially vertical spikes carriedby said elements each projecting into close proximity to the grinding surface on the other element .forprovidinga tearing action.

7. In .a disposal device, a generally cylindrical shell closed at the bottom and forming a fluid receptacle, a grinding device mounted in the shell, said grinding device including a stationary member and a rotary member, means .to rotate the rotary member about an lengthwise of the shell to thereby effect a grinding action between said stationary and rotary members, said grinding device having an annular peripheral discharge opening whereby material acted upon by the grinder is thrown outwardly against the side Walls of the shell with substantial force and swirling action, a closure for the upper part of the shell including an inlet to the grinding device, and an outlet for the shell located in the bottom wall thereof adjacent to a side wall of the shell but having its axis positioned inwardly of said adjacent side wall whereby fluid passing through said outlet is substantially devoid of the fluid pressure within the shell caused by the centrifugal force created by the rotary member.

8. A disposal device comprising cooperating grinding members, conical in form, one of which is movable relative to the other and having an annular peripheral discharge opening therebetween, said grinding members having oppositely inclined opposed spiral teeth said teeth being substantially tangential to the smaller diameter ends of the conical grinding members, and the conical grinding members being shaped to provide a decreasing space between said teeth as material moves toward the discharge opening between said grinding members, intercalated spikes on said grinding members adapted to provide a shredding action, and severing teeth on the rotatable grinding member adjacent to said discharge opening.

9. In a grinding device, an upper relatively fixed conical grinding element, a lower rotatable conical grinding element, and means for driving the lower element in a given direction, said elements each having a grinding surface provided with grinding teeth, said grinding surfaces being frusto-conical in general outline, the generatrix of the rotatable conical elements being less inclined to the horizontal than the generatrix of the relatively fixed conical element, said elements being mounted in coaxial cooperative relationship and providing a grinding space bements inclined'in adirection with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotatable grinding element so as to drive the-material acted upon outwardly toward said outer periphery, and said inclined teeth being substantially tan:

gential to the'smaller diameter ends of the frusto-conical surfaces.

10; In'a grinding device, an upper relatively fixed conical grinding element, a lower rotatable conical grinding element, means for driving the lower element in a given direction, said elements eachhaving a grinding surface proyided with grinding teeth in ,the'form of ribs, said grinding surfaces bein g frusto-conical' in general outline, the :generatrix of the rotatable conical element being less inclined to the horizontal than the generatrixo'f the rela-' tively fixed conical element, said elements being mounted ing space between said teeth that diminishes in vertical ex- .tent toward'the outer periphery thereof, the, spiral teeth outhe two elements being oppositely inclined to produce a' shearing aetion therebetween with the teeth of one of the elements inclined in a' direction with respect to the direction of rotationof the rotatable grinding element so as to drive the materials acted upon outwardly-toward said outer periphery, said inclin'ed teeth being substantially tangential to the smaller diameter ends of the frusto-conical surfaces,

and severing teeth on one of said grinding'elements adjacent said outer periphery, said severingteeth projecting I in coaxial cooperative relationship and providing a grinde above 'the cutting edges of said ribs or their projected extensions.

11. In a grinding device, an upper relatively fixed conical grinding element, a lower rotatable conical grinding element, means for driving the lower element in a given'direction, said elements each having a grinding surface provided with grinding teeth in the form of ribs, said grinding surfaces being frusto-conical in general outline, the generatrix'of the rotatable conical element beingless.

inclined to the horizontal than the generatrix of the relatively'fixed conical element, said elements-being mounted in coaxial cooperative relationship and providing a grinding space between said teeth that diminishes: in ;vertical extent toward the outer periphery thereof, the spiral teeth on the two elements being oppositely inclined to produce a shearing action therebetween with the teeth of one of the elements. inclined in a direction with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotatable grinding element so as 'to drive the materials acted upon outwardly toward 'said outer periphery, said inclined teeth being substantially tangential to the smaller diameter ends of the .frustoconical surfaces, severing teeth on one of said grinding elements adjacent; said outer periphery, said severing teeth projectingabove the cutting edges of said ribs or their projectedextensions, and 'a' pluralityof intercalated r substantially vertical spikes carried by said elements each projecting into close proximity to the grinding teeth on" the other element for providing a tearing action.

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